Australian hospitality group Leisure Accommodation Collective (LA Co) has introduced the new-look The Village Bondi Beach following a complete remodelling of the property.

The hostel, which reopened on Wednesday after a three-month renovation, is the second of eight The Village properties in Australia to undergo an extensive refurbishment as LA Co seeks to redefine the hostel experience for Gen Z and millennial travellers.

“The Village Bondi Beach is the next cab off the rank in our multi-million-dollar refurbishment project but it’s not only the design refurbishment that’s been a crucial factor for us in this project,” said LA Co CEO, Luke Moran, pointing to an enhanced program offering with activities such as hosted walks and yoga by the sea.

“We recently surveyed 1,000 Village guests on what is most important to them when choosing a hostel and a significantly high 40% of guests said that outdoor experiences and wellness was most important and another 40% saying activities designed to meet new people with only 7% saying party events,” he said.

“Of course, we know our guests will still go out for a good time, but we’ve made a conscious decision to prioritise wellbeing and unique activities making the most of our venues and the great locations they are positioned.”

Located at 19 Lamrock Ave, a short distance from Bondi Beach, the property features a private guest courtyard, guest kitchen, movie room and multiple guest lounge and co-working areas, all of which have been redesigned.

The accommodation offering – 158 beds across 55 rooms – includes an additional 23 Beachside Loft Rooms in queen, double and single configurations, with a compact living space. There are also Beachside Private Rooms with queen beds, TV, storage and ensuites, Mixed Dorm Rooms in 4-bed and 6-bed bunk configurations, and a number of 4-bed Female Dorms.

Each room has been updated with new bed or bunks, plush bedding, curtains, linen, and towels. Design details include wavy full-length mirrors, photography prints showing classic local scenes, against a Bondi blue colour palette.

Wollongong artist Bodie Jarman has created a large mermaid mural at the entrance of the building and has also painted the creative wayfinding room numbers throughout. 

To mark the reopening, the hostel will host free weekend paella cook ups and weekly yoga by the sea classes with guest teachers over the next few weeks. All new guests are invited to join the venue team on a hosted walk on the iconic Bondi to Bronte return loop, which will be a permanent activity fixture at the hostel. 

The Village properties across Melbourne CBD, Surry Hills, Glebe, Canberra, Cairns and Byron Bay will undergo extensive refurbishment over the next year. 

LA Co also owns and operates Drifter, a hybrid hotel concept that opened its first property in Christchurch in June, with more hotels in Byron Bay, Wellington and Auckland in the pipeline.